Producer
Christian Moueix is a softly-spoken titan among wine producers. As head of the family firm in Bordeaux, he oversees production at Châteaux Pétrus and Trotanoy, among others. And yet he is just as renowned for his work in the Napa Valley, where he founded Dominus Estate in 1982. Othello comes from that estate, made in an earlier-drinking style and at an equally accessible price.
Vineyard
The Dominus estate is in Yountville, at the cooler southern end of the Napa Valley. The total vineyard area is forty-two hectares, planted on gravelly and clay-loam soil, and is entirely dry farmed. Grapes were harvested from the sunny side of the vines a few days before the more shaded fruit.
Winery
The best fruit was selected with a mixture of manual and optical sorting. Fermentation proceeded with gentle pump-overs, and the wine was then aged in French oak barrels.
